I Suppose It Was Inevitable, Yes? (Read 694 times)

Better I Leave

posted: 2/17/2013 at 8:25 PM

If one is going to run outside, eventually one will be accosted by dogs, yes? I was attacked twice today. First time, it was simply two very wet, dirty dogs, off leash of course, that would stop jumping all over me. I yelled to the owners to leash their damn dogs, but they kept running after me wanting to play. Needless to say, I got clawed up fairly nicely and paw prints all over me. This was ~mile 3. Then at about mile 5, a guy drove by me up the dirt road in a van. About 1/2 mile further up, I saw him out on the road with his dog, once again...off leash. The next thing I know, this dog has latched on to my right hand. The owner is on him, leashes him. I began yelling to the guy "Why is your fucking dog off leash?" He proceeded to try and lay on me by stating that I didn't give him time to leash the mutt. I told him it's not my job, and that there are leash laws. I got his number and his vet and told him I will be calling the vet to verify vaccinations as I'm sporting some puncture wounds.

Jeesh...At least I finished my run though. What a day. But then again, I'm thinking to myself...I can't be the only runner who has been subjected to this, now can I? Anyone got any stories to share?

I've yet to be bitten (except for having a puppy grab onto my pants leg in play and a dumb dachshund who would have latched onto my calf were his mouth bigger or my calf smaller), but I've had dogs follow me many times. That just irritates me...I don't like feeling obligated to stop my run to return a pet to his/her people. If there is no owner in sight I just keep going...their dog is not my problem.

'17 Goals:

• Chemo

• Chemo-Radiation

• Surgery

• Return to kicking my own ass by 2018

She was not strong. She was valiant. Radiant. Brave and broken. The beauty she discovered in the aftermath was unparalleled to anything she had known before, because it had come at such a cost.

Well, unless you are on his lawn he is responsible to have his dog under control at all times. The whole giving him time to leash it thing is BS. Screw calling his vet, if there are puncture wounds call animal control and have the animal impounded. This may sound extreme but if the owner is so irresponsible, what if the next person to come across them is an 8-yr-old on a bike? Better they learn now.

I love dogs. I really do. But when a couple was out with their golden retriever on a public sidewalk and it jumped up right in my face I clocked it right across the snout. Now they claimed it only wanted to play, but it just as easily could have taken my nose off and there was no way to know what its intention was without waiting for the outcome. I've never been bitten by a dog while running, but that is likely only due to the fact that if a dog gets close enough to do harm I take defensive action (punch, kick) before it has an opportunity to do harm. I never take action more than I feel is necessary to make sure I am not harmed, but I place my safety over the animal. If the owner doesn't like it tough luck, they should have restrained their animal and I tell them so.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

Screw calling his vet, if there are puncture wounds call animal control and have the animal impounded. This may sound extreme but if the owner is so irresponsible, what if the next person to come across them is an 8-yr-old on a bike? Better they learn now.

Yes, there are puncture wounds and I'm torn about making the call, but you do raise a good point. I would hate to have what happened to me happen to a child. I was able to stop the dog further...A child wouldn't be able to. It was a Shepard. I just don't want to be vindictive, but again...you raise a valid point.

Dave- that's not being vindictive at all, calling them would be very appropriate. And be sure to get that looked at; puncture wounds in the hand can result in horrible infections, and antibiotics are almost always needed, the sooner the better.

Most states have a 2 bite rule... first time the dog (and owner) gets a pass as long as there's no rabies... if there is a 2nd biting incident they put the dog down. This sounds harsh, but if the owner isn't going to prevent the situation from occuring I'd rather the dog be put down than have a child mauled. The thing is, you have to report it for there to be a '1st time' incident. If a dog will run up to you and bite, it is capable of biting anyone, anytime.

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Fuck it. I'm gonna PR this fall. Let's do this.

Better I Leave

posted: 2/17/2013 at 10:52 PM

Thanks all. I have a friend who's a captain in our Sheriff's Dept. and I'm going to call him in the morning to report it. I'll ask that they have a word with the owner...unless this isn't the first case.

I was nipped at by a leashed retriever while jogging a few months ago. The woman was also pushing a stroller and didn't maintain control of him. Fortunately, my garmin protected me from a wrist wound.

I have been chased by countless loose dogs, whose owners always emphasize how nice their dog is. If it's a large dog, I usually lecture the owner.

I was also attacked about a decade ago by a loose German Shepherd. The dog had escaped its fenced yard and bit my calf as I ran past his yard (in the street). I had a deep puncture wound which required an ER visit and a tetanus shot. My bills were covered by the dog owner's home insurance.

Yes, there are puncture wounds and I'm torn about making the call, but you do raise a good point. I would hate to have what happened to me happen to a child. I was able to stop the dog further...A child wouldn't be able to. It was a Shepard. I just don't want to be vindictive, but again...you raise a valid point.

Make the call. That dog deserves an owner who isnt going to let it get hit by a car.

I was followed on one of my runs last week by 3 medium largish dogs. They were running back and forth across a busy highway and followed me for nearly a mile. I hope they didnt get hit. They were gone by the time I got anywhere I could have asked someone to call about them.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

I will. I'm going to speak w/ my friend and state that I want the owner "spoken to"...unless this is not a first offence. I know this guy and he'll be tactful and diplomatic, but will make certain that nothing is left undone.

I've only been bitten once while running: on a suburban sidewalk, I was approaching a Doberman, his leash held by his owner (who was unlocking his car parked at the curb). Dog's muzzle was about hip-high, and I instinctively put my left hand down against my thigh as I got close. The dog bit my hand as I passed; it surprised me so much, I didn't even stop.

There's a nasty little rat-dog in our neighborhood that all the kids have warned each other about -- it's nipped kids more than once over the past handful of years. Spends almost all day outside, barks at anything that moves. it got out through a known gap in the fence (previously blocked with a piece of old plywood propped with a brick) and bit our neighbor -- puncture woulds, ER visit, stitches and tetanus shot. She reported it, and it turned out that was the dog's first reported bite.

Disclaimer: I love dogs. I have two dogs, one of which runs with me. He gets to run off-leash only when we're totally alone, and I'm vigilant for people, other dogs, or anything that might strongly attract him. But I also work with him, and his recall is really good. (*knock on wood*)

"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

I was out hiking in the mountains with my wife today and we came around a bend and my wife said someting like "ohhh!". I looked and saw a HUGE German Shepard leading his two owners on the single track trail. They had another Shep, also off-leash, who was right behnd the first one. The dogs didn't rush at us or do anything other than look. The owners immediately leashed them and stepped off the trail for us to go by. I gave them a big smile, a howdy-doo, and walked on by. Some dog owners have their shit together and are cool.

As for the types of dogs/owners you encountered a kick in the nuts or pick up some rocks and throw em right in their face (the dog not the owner) works for me.

Longboat

Letting off steam

posted: 2/18/2013 at 1:04 AM

In addition to checking the dog's shots, and reporting it, send him your medical bill -- preferably on a lawyer's stationery.

I know you live in a different country (CA), but don't call the vet. Don't call your buddy at the sherrif's dept. Call animal control.

And it's probably too late to take these steps in timely order, but...

1) take a picture

2) irrigate the wound with hydrogen peroxide and water

3) see a doctor

4) go pick up antibiotics that the doctor prescribes

5) call animal control

6) give a written statement to animal control (with the pictures, with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was)

7) wait for animal control to hopefully call you and tell you they picked up the animal, verified it's up to date on shots

8) fist pump for not having rabies

9) send bill to dog owner, homeowners insurance should cover it

I was bitten last month. I did the above, except sending the bill part, because it was all of $4.35 for the antibiotics, and that wasn't worth it for me, and the doctor was my neighbor, so no costs associated there.

Ran the same route for the first time since on Saturday. I like that road. I don't like that dog.

Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes